Ireland’s lead role in waste reduction

The Irish Government’s Waste Action Plan for a Circular Economy outlines bold ambitions to encourage a more sustainable waste management model.

Ireland’s potential leadership role in waste reduction, given our legacy as one of the first nations to ban single-use shopping bags, can be harnessed to finding new pathways to zero waste.

The plan, which outlines an ambitious roadmap for Ireland’s waste policy up to the period of 2025, takes a holistic view of resources while actively encouraging a more circular, sustainable waste management model that will maximise the value of materials throughout a product’s life cycle. This puts climate action at the core of national resource management policy.

Michael Quille, EY Ireland’s strategy and transactions associate director, believes Ireland has a real opportunity to become a leader in the EU and internationally by embedding a strong circularity ethos across society and the economy.

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“Over the past number of decades, the country has made significant progress in the advancement of sustainable waste management practices. We have transitioned from landfill disposal as the primary waste treatment option and started to focus on recycling and extracting value throughout the product life cycle.”

Both the private and public sectors have gradually begun to integrate process innovations into business models, which design-out harmful waste, extend product lifetimes and, in some instances, prevent waste from arising in the first place.

There is a growing consensus among industry leaders and policy makers as to the economic potential of the circular economy business model. But many companies still struggle to incorporate circular thinking into their corporate strategy and day-to-day operating models due to a lack of understanding and technical capabilities.

Quille envisages the plan providing Ireland with coherent and actionable objectives that look at how we consume materials and resources; how we prevent waste generation and resource consumption; and how we extend the productive life of all goods and products in our society and economy.

“All business in Ireland will be affected by the requirements for circularity and the shift to a new macro perspective of holistic, zero-waste resource management. Indeed, the impact on some may be even more acute that our carbon ambition, demanding behavioural and mindset changes that are difficult to appreciate fully as we move from the linear make, use and dispose model to something with increased circularity.”

Heineken Ireland highlighted innovative sustainability achievements, such as the fizz in its beers coming from recycled carbon dioxide

In Cork, where it has been based for more than 165 years, Heineken Ireland has a long commitment to sustainability, and has been transparently publishing its results since 2010. Guided by their award-winning Brewing a Better World strategy, Heineken aims to raise the bar to 2030 across several sustainability initiatives spanning environmental emissions, moderation, and social impact.

Heineken Ireland’s 2021 sustainability report highlighted multiple innovative sustainability achievements, such as the fizz in its beers coming from recycled carbon dioxide, which is created in the natural fermentation process and then captured and reused at the Cork brewery to carbonate its draught beer.

Additionally, the Cork brewery is a “Zero Waste to Landfill” site and all byproducts from the brewing process, such as spent grain and grain dust, are reused and recycled. Some 30 tonnes of waste are repurposed every year as animal feed.

Due to ongoing investments, the brewery is 96 per cent self-sufficient in CO2. At full production, the site recaptures more than 2,000 tonnes of CO2 from the fermentation process for reuse in brewing.

“The carbon dioxide reuse project is just one element of Heineken Ireland’s broad commitment to sustainability across all facets of its operation, both in Ireland and globally,” says Barbara Anne Richardson, sustainability and public affairs manager. “Heineken Ireland is the first global brewer to pledge carbon neutrality in the full value chain by 2040.”

In September 2022, it presented the “Heineken Greener Bar” at Electric Picnic - the first time at a music festival. “The stage was designed with sustainability at the forefront, which meant efficiencies on lighting and sound used up to 85 per cent less electricity than traditional light bulbs, and LED screens had energy savings of up to 50 per cent.

“The Greener Bar also used bio generators and a customised smart power plan to reduce unnecessary waste,” Richardson says. “In addition, all international performers were cut to focus on local talent, which did not compromise on the entertainment but resulted in a 60 per cent reduction on travel emissions in comparison to 2019.”

In May 2022 Heineken Ireland announced its inaugural sponsorship of the 2022 International Mixed Ability Rugby Tournament (IMART), which brought more than 1,100 mixed ability rugby players from 28 teams and 14 countries to Cork in June for a special global sporting event celebrating inclusion and diversity.

“This sponsorship built on our decades-long support for rugby through brand sponsorship of Europe’s leading club rugby competition, the Heineken Champions Cup, and long-term partnerships with Ulster and Connacht Rugby, and Rugby Players Ireland,” Richardson describes. “The purpose of the sponsorship was to shine a spotlight on the importance of inclusion and diversity in rugby and to show there are no barriers to the love and enjoyment of rugby.”

As part of the programme, Heineken Ireland staff received a volunteer briefing from IMART representatives on the inclusivity mission of Mixed Ability Sports, and heard from players on the empowering experience of being involved in Mixed Ability Rugby to prepare them for their volunteering roles at the event.

IMART 2022 also played host to the first ever Women’s Mixed Ability Rugby tournament, which saw the Cork-based Ballincollig Trailblazers compete with three international women’s teams.

Heineken Ireland staff attended Musgrave Park to support IMART 2022, providing behind the scenes and pitch-side support to players and the 25,000 attendees at the week-long event. In addition, it also sponsored the tournament’s Spirit Trophy, which recognised the team that claims the most ‘Spirit Points’ awarded to those that best embody the spirit of the tournament.

In June 2021, Heineken Ireland launched Fresh Beginnings, a €10 million stimulus programme, the largest in its 165-year history, to support the hospitality sector’s reopening.

The “Bar-Staff Thank-you” programme reached 5,000 hospitality staff across Ireland, with all 335 employees of Heineken Ireland given €250 each to to treat fellow customers, friends or family to a round in their local pubs.

Heineken Ireland has partnered with Cork Simon for 20 years and has raised €1.6 million for the charity. Its support of the Aftercare Programme, which celebrates 10 years in 2023, has helped 170 people to access treatment and 50 who have lived in the Aftercare home.

The brewer offers employees two paid volunteer days a year and has donated more than €1.9 million to Irish charities over the past four years, including an Employee Led ‘Heineken Cares programme in which staff nominate a charity close to their hearts.

In another aspect of its sustainable awareness, the company is committed to local suppliers, with 100 per cent of its barley coming from Irish farmers. In total, it works with more than 300 Irish suppliers, delivering an annual spend of €54 million to the Irish economy.

‘Operating the “reduce” principle first and foremost, we have removed over four million pieces of plastic from our consumer-facing packaging’

“Heineken Ireland was one of the early movers to review packaging on the drinks shelf,” says Richardson. “And, operating the ‘reduce’ principle first and foremost, we have removed over four million pieces of plastic from our consumer-facing packaging in recent years, meaning none of our products feature shrink wrap or plastic can connectors, which are commonly featured in the sector.

“In addition, we have removed all PET plastic bottles from our entire product portfolio, and we are fully supportive of the new Irish Deposit Return Scheme and proud to be on the establishing board of DRSI, the operating company.

“This initiative is part of the government’s response to meet EU recycling targets and provides an opportunity to create a truly circular economy for the beverage industry here in Ireland.”

The scheme is due to be implemented in February 2024 when consumers will redeem deposits on the return of PET and aluminium packaging to dedicated collection points.

Heineken Ireland is the first and, currently, the only drinks company in Ireland, to hold the independently audited Business Working Responsibly Mark, under NSAI ISO 26100. Richardson highlights the brewer’s ongoing role in leading the way in responsible consumption moderation and low/no alcohol options, funding dedicated Zero Zone spaces in retail outlets to help showcase no alcohol and low alcohol options for consumers.

So far, the brewer has created more than 1,100 Zero Zones in off-licences and retailers across Ireland.

“The Zero Zones are used to showcase all no alcohol and low alcohol products, rather than just the Heineken Ireland brands, which further underlines our commitment to the promotion of moderation,” she says. “Building on the widespread availability of bottled Heineken 0.0%, the draught pint 0.0 is also available in over 2,200 bars and restaurants across Ireland, with continued expansion to a further 700 outlets this year, giving consumers real choice.”

All Heineken brand campaigns feature a strong Heineken 0.0% presence, ensuring that consumers have a choice of 0.0 no matter what the occasion.

In addition to this, 10 per cent of Heineken brand media spend is dedicated to a standalone campaign promoting responsible consumption behaviour and encouraging healthier drinking habits every year. In 2021, this campaign reached more than one million people across Ireland.